History of Abu Mena

The site was built in honour of early Christian martyr, Saint Menas of Alexandria, who died in 296 AD. Various 5th-century accounts give slightly different versions of his burial and the subsequent founding of his church, but essentially his body was taken from Alexandria on a camel, which was led into the desert beyond Lake Mareotis. At some point, the camel refused to walk any further – this was taken as a sign of divine will, and the body’s attendants buried it on that spot.

The tomb’s location was then thought to be forgotten until its miraculous rediscovery by a local shepherd, who is said to have seen a sheep healed by the site’s water and then used the water and dust from the tomb to heal sick people brought to him. Word of the shepherd’s healing powers spread rapidly, and the synaxarium (a book that includes short accounts on the lives of the saints) describes Constantine I sending his sick daughter to the shepherd to be cured. The book credits her with finding Menas’ body, after which Constantine ordered the construction of a church at the site.

By the late 4th century, it became a major pilgrimage destination for Christians. Small terracotta ‘Menas flasks’ were sold to pilgrims as containers for holy water, and are found widely around the Western Mediterranean, dating roughly from the century and a half before the Muslim conquest. Roman Emperor Arcadius ordered a major expansion of the facilities, and by the end of Late Antiquity, Abu Mena had become the leading pilgrimage site in Egypt, yet was destroyed during the Muslim conquests of the mid-7th century.

Abu Mena today

The site was first excavated from 1905-1907. There are very few standing remains, but the foundations of most major buildings, such as the large basilica church, are easily discernible as well as monastic buildings, a baptistery and Roman baths. The highlight is the stunning underground tomb of Saint Menas, adorned with beautiful frescoes. More recent excavations in 1998 uncovered a large dormitory for poor pilgrims, a complex to the south of the great basilica (likely the abbot’s residence) and a complex of wine presses, including underground storage rooms, dating to the 6th/7th centuries.

However, excessive groundwater extraction has caused land subsidence, meaning the site is at risk of irreparable damage. A number of the site’s buildings have collapsed or are now unstable, and the site was added to the List of World Heritage Danger in 2001. Since then, efforts have been made to preserve and stabilise Abu Mena, including the placing of sand in endangered buildings and closing them off to the public.

Getting to Abu Mena

Abu Mena is located about 31 miles southwest of Alexandria, near New Borg El Arab city.

Today’s Aquileia Patriarchal Basilica underwent a series of constructions and reconstructions over the centuries, with the current incarnation consecrated in 1031. Yet the evidence of its long history is not erased. Indeed, visitors to the stunning Patriarchal Basilica can still see its fourth century mosaics.

History of Aquileia Basilica

Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in Italy, located at the head of the Adriatic Sea. During classical antiquity it was one of the world’s largest cities, with a population of 100,000 in the 2nd century AD. It is believed to be the largest Roman city yet to be excavated, and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

The basilica and bell tower were commissioned by the Patriarch Popone, and were completed in 1031. It constituted a radical restoration of an ancient religious complex dating to the 4th century BC on the same site, which had been damaged by earthquakes and barbarian invasions.

There are other remains from the 4th century BC on the site, including the Paleochristian Complex, built by Bishop Theodorus, and the famous floor mosaic, which depicts scenes from the Old Testament.

The collection of mosaics on the floor is one of the largest and best-preserved in the Christian world. It was only discovered at the beginning of the 1900s after flooring that had been laid in later centuries was removed. The use of mosaics was both social and political, with the scenes in the basilica depicting religious stories such as Jonah and the Whale, as well as incorporating a number of pagan symbols.

Other remains and mosaics are found in the so-called ‘Slaves’ Crypt’ which is accessible from inside the Basilica. The Crypt of Frescoes also holds Byzantine-style frescoes from the 1100s.

Aquileia Basilica Today

Though less well known than nearby Venice, Aquileia has much to see. Today, visitors can enjoy seeing the Romanesque-style basilica with its few Gothic details which were added in 1348, and the later Renaissance details which, when combined, characterise the building as radically unique and ancient.

In the basilica, a clear elevated platform allows visitors to walk above the mosaics and see them in great and clear detail.

Getting to Aquileia Basilica

From the centre of Aquileia, the basilica is a three minute walk via Via dei Patriarchi/SP91. By car, it takes around 5 minutes, via Via Roma/SP91 and Via Enrico Curiel.

Athens Cathedral history

When Athens became the Greek capital in 1834, an imposing cathedral was essential to seat the Archbishop and Greek Orthodox Church. Construction of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens therefore began in the centre of the new capital on Christmas Day, 1842, as the cornerstone was laid by King Otto and Queen Amalia.

An inspiration to modern sustainability, the cathedral’s immense walls were built using the recycled marble from 72 abandoned or ruined churches. Despite a pause in 1843 for lack of funds, it took three architects and 20 years to finish building the three-aisled, domed neo-classical basilica.

Buried inside the cathedral were the tombs of two saints, both killed by the Turks under the Ottoman Empire. The first is Saint Philothei who was martyred in 1589 after ransoming enslaved Greek women. The second, Gregory V the Ethnomartyr, patriarch of the Orthodox Church, who was publicly hanged in 1821 in retaliation for an uprising on 25 March that marked the beginning of the Greek War for Independence.

Therefore, not only was Athens Cathedral an impressive place of worship, it was a symbol declaring Greek political and religious independence won against Ottoman rule, which had lasted since the mid-15th century until 1830.

Athens Cathedral today

Any trip to Athens is incomplete without visiting this cathedral in the city’s beating heart. Access to the cathedral is free, so drop in to find some peace and quiet from the bustling streets among the intricate icons and exquisite artworks throughout the cathedral. Light a candle in a beautifully carved candle repository, and gaze up at the astonishing 24-metre-high dome.

Be sure to also check out the ‘little cathedral’ next door, a 12th century church assembled from old pagan temples dedicated to Agios Eleftherior and decorated with 90 relief scenes. In some of the images, you can see crosses carved over them, the purpose of which was to neutralise non-Christian images and ‘baptise’ the pagan building materials.

Getting to Athens Cathedral

Athens Cathedral is hard to miss: the church is located in the central Square Mitropoleos overlooked by the Pantheon and a 5 minute walk from Syntagma Square. If travelling by public transport, get the Metro to Monstiraki and Syntagma or catch the 025, 026 and 027 buses.

Considered to be one of the most impressive of the Forum’s structures, it is thought that Basilica Aemelia was built and rebuilt several times. Its first incarnation may have been erected in 179 BC and it was finally burnt to the ground in the fifth century AD.

Parts of the Basilica Aemelia have since been rebuilt, although today only remnants of columns and its pavement remain.

Basilica Aemelia history

The Basilica Aemilia was first built in 179 BC by the censors Marco Fulvio Nobiliore and Marco Emilio Lepido. This is the reason why the basilica was originally known as “Basilica Fulvia et Aemilia”. Over time the building became a sort of monument to celebrate and commemorate the Aemilia family, and the name of Fulvio was lost.

As a public building, the Basilica Aemilia was mainly a place for business and meetings. The portico hosted the so called Tabernae Novae, the series of shops and market stalls and the building was also used for money lending. Politicians and tax collectors gathered here for their business.

The Basilica Aemilia was regarded by Pliny as one of the most beautiful buildings in Ancient Rome. Destroyed and rebuilt several times until 34 B.C., this luxurious public hall had an imposing architecture, decorated with precious marbles and columns. In 54 BC Marcus Emilio Lepido renovated the Basilica and the works were actually funded by Caesar. At that same time works also began to built the Basilica Julia, which stands just on the opposite side.

At the time of the Imperial Rome, the Basilica Aemilia was divided into three parts: the portico, the tabernae and the main hall.

From the area of the Forum there are stairs leading to the portico. The facade of the portico, which resembles that of the Basilica Julia, featured two floors supported by pillars and white-marble columns. The main hall comprised of fourteen arches finely decorated with statues.

In 410 AD the Basilica Aemilia was destroyed by the Visigoths during the sack of Rome.

Basilica Aemelia today

Today, only the foundations and some rebuilt elements can be seen of this impressive public building that is still one of the few examples of this kind of buildings from the Republican Age.

Getting to the Basilica Aemelia

The Basilica Aemilia is located at the intersection of Via dei Fori Imperiali and Largo Romolo e Remo in the archaeological area of the Roman Forum at one of the Forum entrances. It lies between the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Curia Julia. The nearest metro stop is Colosseo.

Begun in 1652 and completed in 1667, Basi­lica de la Virgen de los Desamparados is considered to be the most important religious building in Valencia built that century.

History of Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados

The Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados is located in the highest area of Valencia in the Plaza de la Virgen, in front of the allegorical Fountain of the Turia River and its irrigation channels.

The basilica is dedicated to the Virgin of the Forsaken, the patroness of Valencia and the Old Kingdom of Valencia, and is widely considered to be the most important religious building in the city from the 17th century.

Originally built between 1652 and 1667 by Diego Martínez Ponce de Urrana, it is the only church in the old part of Valencia that was built new from the foundations up, instead of upon an existing parish or convent.

The original church building was built in a late Renaissance style, with ornamentation dating from 1666 including pillows, rosettes, sgraffito of cherubs, and the dome, which is located near the cathedral. It was the first oval-shaped religious building to be constructed in Valencia, as the oval shape is related to the Virgin Mary.

Between 1683 and 1694 a Baroque chapel-sanctuary was built, and in 1701, a new interior dome was built in full Baroque splendour. From the 18th to 20th centuries, the Royal Chapel underwent successive and important transformations (neoclassical reform, romantic and historicist perspectives), with the initial Renaissance style being embossed and elaborated upon, giving the interior a much more rich and detailed finish.

Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados Today

The basilica runs a regular programme of events, and is free to enter. Attending the sung Mass at 13.00 is recommended.

During the Las Fallas festival, the basilica’s walls are decorated in flowers for the Virgin. A giant wooden silhouette of the virgin is constructed and is completely covered in flowers in the offering, which culminates on the 18th March. The flowers are left after the festival to be enjoyed by devotees and visitors to the city.

A bridge connects the basilica and 13th century cathedral, meaning that visitors can enjoy both in succession. Visitors can also attend Mass on Sundays.

Getting to Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados

The Basilica is a 9 minute drive by car from the centre of Valencia, primarily along the Carrer de Jamue Roig road. It’s also around a half an hour walk thorough the architecturally stunning city centre.

There are also a number of buses from the city centre – the m, 3, and 9 – which depart every 9 minutes or so from the city centre. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken is a very short walk from the Plaza de la Rhein in Valencia.

Its interior includes a central nave opening up to two chapels. It sits across from the Recoleta Cemetery, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar History

Construction of the church was authorised in 1716 by royal decree of Felipe V of Spain. Merchant Juan de Narbona sponsored the building of the work under the condition that the church remain under the dedication to the Virgin of Pilar in memory and tribute to his hometown of Zaragoza Spain.

It is believed that Italian Jesuit Andrés Bianchi was the original architect on the project. The first cloister was finished in 1718 and the second in 1721. In 1725 the church was completed and the San Antonio de Padua bell was placed on the belfry in 1731. The 30-meter tower was completed and the church was inaugurated on 12 October 1732. It is the oldest church in the city, preserved in its original Baroque style. The Franciscan Bishop of Asunción de Paraguay consecrated the church on 30 May 1734.

In 1821, Governor Martín Rodríguez and his Minister of Government Bernardino Rivadavia expelled the Recollect friars and expropriated their property. The convent was closed for years and the Recoleta Cemetery was created on the site that had been its garden. The Recoleta Cultural Centre was created on the site of other monastic dependencies. On 18 November 1829, it became a parish and Pope Pius XI elevated it to the dignity of a minor basilica in 1936.

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar was declared a National Historic Monument in 1942. In 1994, a restoration project of the church began, recovering the white colour on its façade, as the enhancement of each altar.

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar Today

Inside the building, there is a small museum area home to religious vestaments, paintings, writings and artefacts. There are views of the Recoleta cemetery and in the courtyard, as you enter, a tiled artwork depicts 1794 Buenos Aires.

Getting to Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar

The Basilica is situated in Recoleta district in the Barrio Norte area, to the immediate right of the Recoleta Cemetery. The Agüero and Facultad de Medicina underground stations are both in walking distance.

Basilica di Santa Croce history

Constructed around 1294 in marshlands originally outside the city walls, the Basilica di Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world. The church replaced an earlier building and was paid for by the city’s wealthiest families.

Although designed to reflect the austere lifestyle of Franciscans, the Basilica di Santa Croce has 16 chapels, each of which was ornately decorated. Amongst those who contributed to the splendour of this church was the artist Giotto di Bondone, whose frescos can be seen throughout and include the 14th century Cappella Bardi Frescos. The architect and designer of the famous duomo of Florence Cathedral, Filippo Brunelleschi, also left his mark on this site in the form of the domed chapel, Cappella de’ Pazzi.

The Florentines whose tombs lie within the Basilica di Santa Croce are a mix of prominent artists and philosophers such as the Michelangelo, who was known as a painter and sculptor and also as an engineer and architect. Philosopher and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, whose works included ‘The Prince’ and ‘The Art of War’, is also buried here as is the astronomer and philosopher, Galileo Galilei.

Basilica di Santa Croce today

Stop and marvel at the beauty and symmetry of the Basilica di Santa Croce’s façade, lit up with sunshine or illuminated at night, before stepping inside to view the impressive collection of Renaissance art and tombs of Florence’s greats. Guided tours are available as are audio guides (summer only) and the church is often much quieter than other sites such as the Duomo.

Getting to Basilica di Santa Croce

Nestled within historic Florence, the Basilica di Santa Croce is easily found on foot nearby Casa Buonarroti (museum to Michelangelo) or via public transport. Bus 23 stops nearby at Corso Dei Tintori or Verdi, just down the road.

History of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Legend has it that in mid-August 352, snow fell atop the Esquiline Hill – a sign from the Virgin Mary for a Roman patrician and his wife. In her honour, they began building a basilica on the same spot. This story only appeared around 1000AD, but it’s clear there was a basilica on this site from the 5th century AD, and its core structure remains relatively intact to this day, including the original Old Testament mosaics in the nave and triumphal arch.

The confusingly named Capella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) is not the Sistine Chapel of Michelangelo fame, but one commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and decorated by Domenico Fontana. Sixtus V is also buried here, alongside several other popes.

The basilica also lays claim to Rome’s tallest campanile (bell tower) at 75m. A rich hybrid of Romanesque, Baroque, Renaissance and original architecture, it’s well worth visiting.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore today

The basilica is open daily, free of charge, although make sure you’re dressed appropriately. If you want to visit the next-door museum, Museo del Tresoro, there’s a small fee – it holds a rich array of precious church artefacts. Be prepared for papal bling.

If you can get on one of the loggia tours, make sure to go. They offer an unparalleled opportunity to look at the mosaics in greater depth.

Getting to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Basilica of Constantine history

The Aula Palatina or Basilica was added to the imperial palace around by Constantine I the Great, who took over Trier as his residence from his father Constantius I Chlorus.

Once the place where Emperor Constantine the Great would meet and greet audiences, the Basilica of Constantine was part of the development of Trier undertaken by the emperor from 306 AD.Originally it was not a free standing building, but had other smaller buildings attached to it. It was equipped with a floor and wall heating system.

At the time, Trier, then Augusta Treverorum, was the capital of Rome’s Western Empire and the home of Constantine the Great.In the fifth century, the Basilica of Constantine was destroyed by invading Germanic forces, but now stands restored.

During the Middle Ages, it was used as the residence for the bishop of Trier. For that, the apse was redesigned into living quarters and pinnacles were added to the top of its walls. In the 17th century, the archbishop Lothar von Metternich constructed his palace just next to the Aula Palatina and incorporating it into his palace some major redesign was done.

Later in the 19th century, Frederick William IV of Prussia ordered the building to be restored to its original Roman state, which was done under the supervision of the military architect Carl Schnitzler.

In 1856, the Aula Palatina became a Protestant church. In 1944, the building burned due to an air raid of the allied forces during World War Two. When it was repaired after the war, the historical inner decorations from the 19th century were not reconstructed, so that the brick walls are visible from the inside as well.

This is partially due to the fact that it was incorporated into a 17th century palace and then served as an army barracks. In 1944, the Basilica of Constantine was renovated and it is now used as a church.

Basilica of Constantine today

The Basilica of Constantine is one of this city’s many Ancient Roman sites and part of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. It is apparently the largest single Ancient Rome room to stand intact.

Because of the importance of the site for the history of the city, the excavation has been preserved since 1956 and was made accessible to visitors. It is one of the earliest initiatives with regard to cultural heritage preservation for public access.

Be sure to look out for the optical illusion created by the window sizes of the Basilica of Constantine, which make it look even bigger than it actually is.

The preserved excavation areas can only be explored with special guided tour.

Visualised reconstructions exemplify the building construction at the time, new display cases exhibit selected finds, while revised construction phase plans and a renewed colour scheme make it possible to orient yourself in the rooms.

Gettting to the Basilica of Constantine

The site is easily accessible by public transport. There are also several options for parking nearby.

Initial construction of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine started under the Roman Emperor Maxentius in 308 AD and was completed by Constantine in approximately 312-3 AD. Contrary to the religious connotations of its name, the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine would, like other Roman basilicas, have served as a meeting house and judicial or administrative centre.

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine history

In ancient Rome, basilicas were public buildings with multiple social and administrative functions – a combination of a court-house, council chamber and meeting hall. In the niches lining the walls, there were often statues of the gods, overseeing the political matters of the day.

Construction of the monumental basilica began under emperor Maxentius in 308 AD. However, before it could be completed, civil war erupted between Maxentius and the other emperors of the tetrarchy: Constantine I and Licinius. Maxentius was defeated by Constantine I at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in October 312, and while Constantine still had not yet eliminated Licinius (which he would in 324), he completed construction of the basilica.

The basilica was white and stood on a 100 by 65 metre concrete platform surrounded by 8 massive marble columns, and unlike other basilicas had supporting arches. The innovative engineering of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine inspired building projects for centuries afterwards, including New York’s Penn Station.

The basilica came to be known by Romans as the Basilica Nova, to set it apart from others in the forum, such as Basilica Julia. Under Constantine and his successors, the building took on more of a Christian association, and because it had fewer pagan associations than Roman temples, was used as a template for later churches.

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine today

Today, although only a shell of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine’s northern aisle remains, the structure is a splendid testament to the Roman empire. Unfortunately, most of the building was destroyed during the 9th century as the result of an earthquake.

Nonetheless, visitors to the Roman Forum can walk alongside the basilica to gain a full appreciation of its size, before stepping underneath the colossal arches overlooked by the patterned ceilings. Although, the best place to view the basilica is perhaps from the edge of the Palatine Hill, where you can get a sense of its size compared to its surroundings.

Getting to the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine

Located in Rome’s ancient centre and easily found on foot, to reach the basilica catch Metro line B to stop Colosseo, a couple of minutes walk away. Otherwise buses 75, 81, 87, 673, 175 and 204 stop at Colosseo, as does the number 3 tram.